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My sources within the Hollywood legal community tell me that producer Cathy Schulman, who was sued by Michael Ovitz and at one point facing a terrifying $4 million judgment, has won her appeal and now a new arbitration so that she owes the Hollywood has-been nothing. Nada. Zilch. I don't have many details because there's a gag order on all the parties involved. But Ovitz started this 7 years ago, and Schulman finished it. She doesn't win anything per se, but Ovitz does owe her attorneys fees for those appeals. At one point, Ovitz, whose main occupation these days seems to be bullying people with lawsuits, 
virtually bankrupted Cathy while she defended herself. But she's an incredible story of perseverance and kept at it in the courts and in the movie business, helping produce 2006 Oscar-winner Crash and now making films as president of Mandalay Pictures. Her latest lawyer Mark Geragos took over Schulman's case and finally brought the whole nightmare to an end. First, that $4 million judgment was reversed on appeal. Then a redo arbitration decided that Schulman wasn't liable for the demise of Ovitz's ill-conceived management and production company AMG or its film division Artists Picture Group. I'm told this is the end of the legal road for Mike. It's also finally over for Cathy.
Cathy Schulman Has Last Laugh On Ovitz
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Who’s Mike Ovitz?
I thought this blog was about people working in Hollywood.
I know Ovitz bullied people in the industry and probably still does. He’s also probably done more things wrong than he’s ever done right, but Nikki, you would pass up ten newsworthy stories to post one negative about him. I’m not saying he’s a guy to be admired by any means, but other than Lew he probably did more to change the agency business than anyone.
Mark Geragos won a case? Now that’s news. I guess tort court is better for him than criminal cases.
I’ve known Cathy for twenty five years, since our days back in New Haven, and she is one of the most incredible, lovely and honorable people I know. I owe a lot of my career to her. I am so happy to see this pathetic law suit against her thrown out. Congratulations, Cathy. I’m happy the nightmare is over for you. xoGH
Although I didn’t know Cathy in New Haven (Oh, did you both go to Southern Connecticut State U?), she is a fantastic, hard-working and generous producer. So glad this is over for her.
Don Ohlmeyer had it right back in 1997, Mike Ovitz IS the antichrist.
Don’t forget about the litigation with Bob Yari that ended not too long ago…also favorably for her. Two for two, Cathy!
Ovitz is the Valdemort of Hollywood, a seeping evil that seemingly never dies. Except more banal. Schadenfreude refreshes, so he’s a welcome presence here.
But does this mean Schulman might expect a rescheduled Ovitz volley in 2009? Purely for business reasons, of course.
Oh yeah. That’s it. Thanks for playing.
All of these people talking about a “bullying” Mike Ovitz and an “incredible, honorable Cathy Schulman” are laughable uninformed predjudice people believing what they hear. Obviously, they have never known this man or had business dealings with this woman. Don Ohlmeyer is totally ridiculous. There is no one I have ever known in this business more moral or ethical than Mike Ovitz. If all of these ignorant bloggers would learn to do their homework and not study the tabloids instead they’d find out the truth. None of you deserve to meet a person of such quality…The problem is this blog probably wont make it to the comment column if Nikki Finke is involved…..
let’s read an excerpt from Eisner’s termination letter to Ovitz:
Eisner accuses Ovitz of repeatedly demonstrating “bad instincts” and bad judgment. “My biggest problem,” Eisner wrote, “was that you played the angles too much, exaggerated the truth too far, manipulated me and others too much. I told you 98% of the problem was that I did not know when you were telling the truth, about big things, about small things. And while you were telling me that those dishonest days were over, you were deceiving me.”
or how about Ovitz’s cheeseball threats to Cathy Schulman:
The next day, Ms. Schulman told the F.B.I., Mr. Ovitz confronted her about the meeting. Ms. Schulman asked how he knew about it, to which Mr. Ovitz responded: “I have eyes and ears everywhere. There’s nothing you can do that I won’t find out about.”
None of your business either a. has the last name Ovitz or b. is on his payroll
Not true to both, sorry.
someone had it off a bit up there…said Don Ohlmeyer in 1996 (not 1997!
:
“Michael Ovitz is the Antichrist, and you can quote me on that.”
Mike Ovitz is a wiretapping, litigation-addicted fool…lacks any morals whatsoever.
Interesting that all of you hate Ovitz so much yet waste your precious time blogging about him. He may not have made all the right decisions but no one has revolutionized the movie business, as Ovitz has. This is pure jealousy. Period. End of story. I invite people to prove me wrong, that is, if you can, with solid evidence.
Ovitz had his moment…problem is his success was fueled by his sociopathic tendencies…when his platform of leverage evaporated…well, take a look at a thumbnail of Ovitz’s last 10 or so years: Disney: FAILURE, Livent: FAILURE, AMG/ATG/APG: FAIL, FAIL, FAIL, pursuit of the NFL: FAILURE, Attempt to steal Ron Meyer’s malibu property out from under him: FAILURE/PR DISASTER, Vanity Fair/”gay mafia” article: PR DISASTER, lagging on his UCLA financial commitment ONLY to be trumped by financial orders of magnitude by David Geffen, his committed mortal enemy…worse, his checks must now be addressed to the DAVID GEFFEN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE: PR DISASTER on the late payments. Ouch, that one must really, really hurt.
he, literally, is a guy who, as referenced above apparently wiretaps and sues folks for a living…his therapist must have a field day on how much of well-liked and respected studio head Ron Meyer is.
The best revenge is a life well lived….Go Ron!
People would walk thru walls for Ron…people woudn’t pee on ovitz if he was on fire rolling around in the middle of the road.
dont figure it a waste of time commenting on his demise…it is a story of hubris that should be studied and learned. would you want to be him at this stage of your life with SO MANY of the people you grew up with in the biz wanting only the worst for you? it’s not jealousy; he is, truly, a bad person.
Awesome.